1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a swimming device. More particularly, this invention relates to a swimming device that has a first propeller and a second propeller positioned substantially around the center of gravity of the swimming device so as to provide a stable underwater movement for the swimming device when the first propeller and the second propeller rotate.
2. The Prior Art
It is known that various recreational swimming devices using pedal-driven propellers have been proposed for allowing users to mechanically propel themselves in bodies of water as shown in, for examples, U.S. Pat. No. 1,071,113 to Teters, U.S. Pat. No. 1,578,584 to Cromer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,487 to Fattler, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,507 and 5,643,020 to Harris. Such devices are typically used for recreation, but can also provide a pleasurable method of exercising.
One of common characters of the currently available devices is that the propeller(s) of these devices is located at or close to the end of each device, mostly under a user""s feet, which is distant from the center of gravity of the user (normally at the upper body of the user). Thus, the center of gravity of for each of the currently available devices and the center of gravity of the user are generally apart from other, which makes difficulty, some times dangerous, to operate these devices because they may produce unstable and unbalanced underwater movements. Additionally, it may cause inefficiencies in operation because a user may have to use energy to counter the unbalance.
Therefore, there is a need for a new type of swimming device that may provide a better, safer, stable and balanced underwater movement.
The above-noted disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, which in one aspect is a swimming device operable by a user. In one embodiment of the present invention, the swimming device includes a frame having a body portion and an elongated portion, wherein the body portion has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and a first end and an opposite second end, the first surface receiving the upper body of the user, and the elongated portion has a first end associated with the second end of the body portion and an opposite second end defining an axis therebetween, and a channel extending from the first end of the elongated portion to the opposite second end of the elongated portion, and extending away from the second end of the body portion. The swimming device further includes a first housing and a second housing formed between the first surface and the second surface and positioned on each side of the axis of the elongated portion, respectively. Moreover, the swimming device includes a main shaft positioned between the first end and the second end of the elongated portion and rotatable about the axis of the elongated portion, the main shaft having a circumference of a size to be complementarily received in the channel of the elongated portion. Additionally, the swimming device includes a first pedal and a second pedal positioned on each side of the elongated portion near the second end of the elongated portion, respectively, the first pedal and the second pedal being rotatably coupled to the main shaft for receiving the feet of the user, so that the user may rotate the first pedal and the second pedal. The swimming device also includes a first propeller and a second propeller received in the first housing and the second housing, respectively, each of the first propeller and the second propeller being rotatably coupled to the main shaft, wherein the first propeller and the second propeller are positioned substantially around the center of gravity of the swimming device so as to provide a stable underwater movement when the first propeller and the second propeller rotate. Each of the first propeller and the second propeller has a thrust axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of the elongated portion. In operation, rotation of the first pedal and the second pedal causes rotation of the main shaft, which in turn causes the first propeller and the second propeller to generate thrust for propelling the swimming device in a desired direction.
The swimming device further includes a first drive shaft having a first end and an opposite second end, the first drive shaft being mounted between the first propeller and the second propeller and rotatably coupled to the main shaft and the first propeller near the first end and the second propeller near the second end, and a second drive shaft having a first end and an opposite second end, the second drive shaft being mounted between the first pedal and the second pedal and rotatably coupled to the main shaft and the first pedal near the first end and the second pedal near the second end.
The swimming device also includes transmission means for transmitting force from the pedals to the first propeller and the second propeller. In one embodiment, the transmission means has a first gear mounted to the second drive shaft, and a second gear mounted to the main shaft near the second end of the main shaft and positioned to be operatively connected to the first gear. The transmission means further has a third gear mounted to the main drive shaft near the first end of the main shaft, and a fourth gear mounted to the first drive shaft and positioned to be operatively connected to the third gear. The transmission means additionally has a fifth gear mounted to the first drive shaft near the first end of the first drive shaft, and a sixth gear rotatably connected to the first propeller and positioned to be operatively connected to the fifth gear. The transmission means further has a seventh gear mounted to the first drive shaft near the second end of the first drive shaft, and a eighth gear rotatably connected to the second propeller and positioned to be operatively connected to the seventh gear. Each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth gears comprises a bevel gear. The gear ratio of the first and second gears, the gear ratio of the third and fourth gears, the gear ratio of the fifth and sixth gears, the gear ratio of the seventh and eighth gears can be selected individually or coordinately to accommodate the use of the swimming device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the swimming device further comprises supporting means for supporting the main shaft and the first propeller and the second propeller. The supporting means has a first bearing positioned proximate to the first end of the main shaft and received in the channel of the elongated portion, and a second bearing positioned proximate to the second end of the main shaft and received in the channel of the elongated portion, wherein each of the first and second bearings has an opening in a complimentary size to receive the main shaft therein for supporting the main shaft. The supporting means further has a third bearing mounted in the first house and positioned proximate to one end of the thrust axis of the first propeller, and a fourth bearing mounted in the first house and positioned proximate to another end of the thrust axis of the first propeller, wherein each of the third and fourth bearings has an opening in a complimentary size to receive the first propeller therein for supporting the first propeller. The supporting means moreover has a fifth bearing mounted in the second house and positioned proximate to one end of the thrust axis of the second propeller, and a sixth bearing mounted in the second house and positioned proximate to another end of the thrust axis of the second propeller, wherein each of the fifth and sixth bearings has an opening in a complimentary size to receive the second propeller therein for supporting the second propeller.
Additionally, the swimming device further comprising adjustable attachment means positioned at the body portion of the frame for engaging the body portion of the frame with the user. The adjustable attachment means include adjustable belts, straps, dress or the like. Moreover, the first end of the elongated portion can be foldably associated with the body portion. In one embodiment, a folding screw is utilized for foldably associating the elongated portion with the body portion.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a swimming device operable by a user. In one embodiment of the present invention, the swimming device includes a frame having a body portion and an elongated portion, wherein the body portion has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and a first end and an opposite second end, the first surface receiving the upper body of the user, and the elongated portion has a first end associated with the second end of the body portion and an opposite second end defining an axis therebetween, and a channel extending from the first end of the elongated portion to the opposite second end of the elongated portion, and extending away from the second end of the body portion. The swimming device further includes at least one housing formed between the first surface and the second surface. Moreover, the swimming device has a main shaft positioned between the first end and the second end of the elongated portion and rotatable about the axis of the elongated portion, the main shaft having a circumference of a size to be complementarily received in the channel of the elongated portion. Additionally, the swimming device has a first pedal and a second pedal positioned on each side of the elongated portion near the second end of the elongated portion, respectively, the first pedal and the second pedal being rotatably coupled to the main shaft for receiving the feet of the user, so that the user may rotate the first pedal and the second pedal. The swimming device further has at least one propeller received in the at least one housing and being rotatably coupled to the main shaft, wherein the at least one propeller is positioned substantially around the center of gravity of the swimming device so as to provide a stable underwater movement when the at least one propeller rotates. In operation, rotation of the first pedal and the second pedal causes rotation of the main shaft, which in turn causes the at least one propeller to generate thrust for propelling the swimming device in a desired direction.
In one embodiment, the swimming device further includes transmission means for transmitting force from the pedals to the at least one propeller, and supporting means for supporting the main shaft and the at least one propeller. The swimming device may have an additional propeller positioned around the center of gravity of the swimming device coordinating with the at least one propeller to generate thrust for propelling the swimming device.
In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a swimming device operable by a user. In one embodiment of the present invention, the swimming device includes a frame having a body portion and an elongated portion, wherein the body portion has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and a first end and an opposite second end, the first surface receiving the upper body of the user, and the elongated portion has a first end associated with the second end of the body portion and an opposite second end defining an axis therebetween, and a channel extending from the first end of the elongated portion to the opposite second end of the elongated portion, and extending away from the second end of the body portion. Additionally, the swimming device has a first housing and a second housing formed between the first surface and the second surface and positioned on each side of the axis of the elongated portion, respectively. The swimming device further has a main shaft positioned between the first end and the second end of the elongated portion and rotatable about the axis of the elongated portion, the main shaft having a circumference of a size to be complementarily received in the channel of the elongated portion. Moreover, the swimming device has a first pedal and a second pedal positioned on each side of the elongated portion near the second end of the elongated portion, respectively, the first pedal and the second pedal being rotatably coupled to the main shaft for receiving the feet of the user, so that the user may rotate the first pedal and the second pedal.
In one embodiment, a first propeller and a second propeller are received in the first housing and the second housing, respectively, where each of the first propeller and the second propeller is rotatably coupled to the main shaft. The swimming device has a first drive shaft having a first end and an opposite second end, the first drive shaft being mounted between the first propeller and the second propeller and rotatably coupled to the main shaft and the first propeller near the first end and the second propeller near the second end. The swimming device further has a second drive shaft having a first end and an opposite second end, the second drive shaft being mounted between the first pedal and the second pedal and rotatably coupled to the main shaft and the first pedal near the first end and the second pedal near the second end. Moreover, a first pair of gears are operatively connected to each other for transmitting power from the second drive shaft to the main shaft, a second pair of gears are operatively connected to each other for transmitting power from the main shaft to the first drive shaft, a third pair of gears are operatively connected to each other for transmitting power from the first drive shaft to the first propeller, and a fourth pair of gears are operatively connected to each other for transmitting power from the first drive shaft to the second propeller, whereby rotation of the first pedal and the second pedal causes rotation of the main shaft through the first pair of gears, which in turn causes the first propeller and the second propeller through the second, the third and the fourth pairs of gears, respectively, to generate thrust for propelling the swimming device in a desired direction.
These and other aspects will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.